It was all about students’ wellbeing at the University of Wollongong on Thursday. UOW recognised the annual R U OK Day with a number of initiatives dedicated to student wellbeing. The annual day of action, which aims to raise awareness about suicide prevention and the importance of reaching out to others, is essential to opening the conversation around mental health among the student body. UOW’s R U Okay Day Festival put students in touch with support providers in a relaxed, informal setting. These included UOW Student Support, Northfields Clinic, Headspace and Lifeline. UOW Wellbeing coordinator Rosalie Milne, who organised the day, said that mental health concerns such as, anxiety and isolation are commonly experienced by students. She added R U OK Day was the perfect time to remind people of the importance of opening up conversations about mental health. “Isolation can be very common among students, particularly around exam times. We want to ensure that students have the support they need to navigate the tough times,” Ms Milne said. “It is also essential that students know how to reach out to their friends who might be struggling. Simply starting the conversation is the first step, and it could change the course of someone’s life.” Read more: Free hugs kick off R U OK? Day on the Wollongong foreshore on Thursday morning

It was all about students’ wellbeing at the University of Wollongong on Thursday.

UOW recognised the annual R U OK Day with a number of initiatives dedicated to student wellbeing.

The annual day of action, which aims to raise awareness about suicide prevention and the importance of reaching out to others, is essential to opening the conversation around mental health among the student body.

UOW’s R U Okay Day Festival put students in touch with support providers in a relaxed, informal setting.

These included UOW Student Support, Northfields Clinic, Headspace and Lifeline.

UOW Wellbeing coordinator Rosalie Milne, who organised the day, said that mental health concerns such as, anxiety and isolation are commonly experienced by students.

She added R U OK Day was the perfect time to remind people of the importance of opening up conversations about mental health.

“Isolation can be very common among students, particularly around exam times. We want to ensure that students have the support they need to navigate the tough times,” Ms Milne said.

“It is also essential that students know how to reach out to their friends who might be struggling. Simply starting the conversation is the first step, and it could change the course of someone’s life.”